Goalkeeper Jesús Owono Left Out of National Squad After Fatal Collision as Online 𝘢bu𝘴e Spreads

Spanish football goalkeeper Jesús Owono has been left out of Equatorial Guinea’s squad for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers following the on-field collision that claimed the life of Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel.

The 25-year-old was expected to feature for his country in the upcoming matches against Zimbabwe on November 12 and November 16. However, the Equatorial Guinean Football Federation confirmed that he would not be included in the squad following the tᩚraɢedy.

Owono and De Miguel collided during a Spanish second-division match between FC Andorra and CD Tenerife on November 2. The goalkeeper had rushed out of his penalty area to clear the ball when his raised knee struck the forward in the chest.

De Miguel, 30, collapsed on the pitch and was taken to hospital after receiving emergency treatment. He died the following morning.

Owono was shown a red card after the incident. In the days that followed, he released a statement through FC Andorra describing the period as the most difficult days of his life.

He said he was struggling to find the words to process what had happened and expressed his pain at De Miguel’s dєatᩚh, adding that his thoughts were with the striker’s family and loved ones.

The goalkeeper also said he would face any questions arising from the incident with respect.

Online 𝘢bu𝘴e forces goalkeeper off social media

The tᩚraɢedy quickly spilled over onto social media, where Owono became the target of hostile messages. Some users reportedly called him a murderer, despite the circumstances of the collision still being under investigation.

Owono subsequently deactivated his Instagram account.

The Equatorial Guinean Football Federation expressed support for the goalkeeper, saying he was experiencing profound sorrow and grief. FC Andorra also offered psychological support to members of its squad and staff affected by the incident.

His teammate Lautaro Spatz publicly defended him, saying that those who knew Owono understood that he would never intentionally hurt another player.

Another goalkeeper caught in the backlash

The online hostility also affected another footballer who had no connection to the fatal collision.

Michel Owono, a goalkeeper for Spanish club CF Can Vidalet, said he had received racist 𝘢bu𝘴e, insults and threats from people who mistakenly believed he was the FC Andorra player.

He publicly clarified that he was not Jesús Owono and had no involvement in what happened to De Miguel.

The episode highlighted how quickly online anger can spread beyond the people directly involved in a tᩚraɢedy, with an unrelated athlete becoming a target because of a shared surname.

Investigation continues

Spanish authorities have opened a judicial investigation into De Miguel’s dєatᩚh, including the possibility of involuntary manslaughter. The inquiry is a routine legal procedure following a dєatᩚh considered non-natural under Spanish law and does not mean that Owono has been found guilty of a crime.

The referee’s report described the collision as involving excessive force while the ball was being contested. Any sporting disciplinary decision will be considered separately from the legal investigation.

Meanwhile, tributes have continued across Spanish football for De Miguel, whose dєatᩚh at 30 has devastated his family, teammates and supporters.

For Owono, the immediate future now includes time away from international duty as he faces the emotional aftermath of an incident that has changed the lives of everyone involved.